


Changing Shapes

by alesia



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Gen, Genderfluid Character, Shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2019-08-26 22:54:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16690495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alesia/pseuds/alesia
Summary: “Did you know,” Freya says out of the blue one crisp autumn day, “Merlin makes a lovely woman.”





	Changing Shapes

**Author's Note:**

> This will eventually get tossed into one of my longfic (which provides the context), if I ever make it to the posting point on that. In the meantime, I hope some of you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!
> 
> Unbeta'd, un-Britpicked, unedited really. (Rereading after working on my current project, I see a bunch of stuff I'd fix if I _was_ actively working on this one.) Sheer fluff with undertones of angst and murder. As you do.

“Did you know,” Freya says out of the blue one crisp autumn day, “Merlin makes a lovely woman.”

“If you're that bored, I'm sure we can find something more entertaining for you to do,” Merlin says.

“I don't know,” Morgana muses. “Teaching you how to live as a woman sounds as if it would be both entertaining and useful.”

“You do need more practice with your shapeshifting,” Freya agrees.

“You're just bored,” Merlin protests. “Can't you find something else to entertain you? I've got two new books to read and copy before the traders come through town next month.”

“You'll do this for us and for yourself,” Freya says forcefully.

Merlin squints at her, considering. Morgana eyes them both. Finally he sighs and says in a flat voice, “Why not.”

“That's the spirit,” Morgana tells him magnanimously.

***

He's used to the Dolma being both ancient and female, so it's a bit of a shock when Morgana asks him to change into a prepubescent girl. He quickly sees the logic in it, though; people don't pay attention to children in the same way they don't pay attention to old women, but the children have far fewer health concerns. His knees have never felt more sprightly. (It's not as if he paid any attention to his joints when he was a child the first time around.) The clothing isn't too bad, either, since he's not expected to display his body like a cut of meat at market.

“Of course you'd be a tomboy,” Morgana sighs at him.

“Any girl with sense is a tomboy,” Freya argues, arms crossed over her chest. “Predators see obvious femininity as weakness.” They all know what she's remembering, and he'd do anything to chase that haunted look from her eyes.

“Would you like your predators extra crispy?” Merlin asks. “Because I can do that.”

“I prefer ‘greasy smear’,” Freya says softly.

Merlin nods. “I can do that too. Lightning’s easy.”

“Let's try a nubile young woman next,” Morgana says before Merlin can actually wander off towards the nearest town to go trawling for men who don’t deserve to live. He makes what is apparently a very entertaining face in response, if Freya and Morgana's laughter is any indication.

“I'm not going to have to have my chest hanging out, am I?”

“I'm sure we can find something in Morgana’s closet that will preserve your modesty,” Freya assures him. Morgana looks woefully disappointed for a brief moment, then collects herself and carries on.

“He's actually attractive like that,” she says with a disconcerted look half an hour later. “How did that happen?”

“Magic,” Merlin says, and wiggles his fingers. “How does your chest not get cold like this? I want a scarf.”

“A scarf would ruin the effect of your bosom,” Morgana sniffs.

“We could try something high-necked and fitted,” Freya says. “But it would have to be tailored. Lots of pins.”

“Or I could wear a scarf,” Merlin insists. “At least half of fashion is people wearing whatever they like and then convincing everyone else it looks good through excessive amounts of confidence. That’s how Arthur always managed.”

“He’s not actually wrong,” Morgana tells Freya with an expression like she'd just been forced to swallow a live frog.

***

That winter, the city of Y Trallwng experiences a sharp upswing in the use of scarves among fashionable young ladies of quality, and Morgana learns a spell for growing new teeth after she shatters two molars in her sleep. In what Merlin claims is completely unrelated news, and probably isn't, fifteen men in the area are mysteriously castrated, two drowned, and six disappeared, leaving only greasy stains in the dirt to show they once walked the earth.

After all, Merlin’s always had a knack for playing bait.


End file.
